On October 11, Theater Basel will present the world premiere of If I do not return by Hania Rani. Soprano Álfheiður Erla Guðmundsdóttir and mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo portray two versions of the opera’s sole protagonist. Rani will perform at the piano alongside the Basel Chamber Orchestra and the Neophyt Vocal Ensemble at the Elisabethenkirche in Basel. Theresa Baumgartner is responsible for the stage direction and costumes.
The libretto draws on texts by John Dowland and is loosely inspired by Stanisław Lem’s philosophical science-fiction novel “Solaris”. In her first opera, Rani explores the nature of time through multiple timelines unfolding simultaneously, addressing extinction, the recurrence of history, and our personal relationship to the past.
For more information, please see the website of Theater Basel.
